The major sports milestones since Deflategate started
A lot has changed in the sports world since the Deflategate saga got underway on Jan. 18, 2015. Here's a look at some of the notable numbers from the past 500 days.
Curry's 3s
Stephen Curry has won two NBA Most Valuable Player awards and one NBA championship, and he has a chance to win his second -- all since the start of Deflategate. Over that span, Curry has made 718 3-pointers in the regular season and postseason. Curry's coach, Steve Kerr, made 726 3s in his 15-year NBA career.
Lots of no-no's
There have been eight no-hitters in the majors since Jan. 18, 2015, including two each by Jake Arrieta and Max Scherzer. The others were by Chris Heston, Cole Hamels, Hisashi Iwakuma and Mike Fiers.
500-yard games
Last season, Philip Rivers (503) and Drew Brees (505) each threw for 500 yards in an NFL game. Rivers did so in a 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on the road. Brees' 500-yard performance came when the Saints won 52-49 over the New York Giants. Brees is one of two NFL QBs with two 500-plus-yard games in their careers (Ben Roethlisberger is the other).
Spieth bursts onto the scene
Jordan Spieth has won five individual events in the past 500 days, including the 2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open and 2015 Tour Championship. Prior to Deflategate, Spieth had one career win: the 2015 Hero World Challenge, an unofficial event.
UConn doesn't lose
The University of Connecticut women's basketball team has won 61 straight games (and counting) in the past 500 days. That includes two national titles. The Huskies have outscored their opponents by an average of 40.9 points per game in that span, more than 20 points per game better than the next team.
NFL coaching carousel
Eleven NFL head coaches have been hired in the past 500 days: Gary Kubiak (Broncos), Dan Quinn (Falcons), John Fox (Bears), Todd Bowles (Jets), Ben McAdoo (Giants), Hue Jackson (Browns), Chip Kelly (49ers), Doug Pederson (Eagles), Mike Mularkey (Titans), Dirk Koetter (Bucs) and Adam Gase (Dolphins). Three more head coaches were hired in the 2015 offseason just before Deflategate started: Rex Ryan, Jim Tomsula and Jack Del Rio.
Leicester City beats the odds
On Jan. 18, 2015, Leicester City was dead last in the Premier League and seemingly headed for relegation. The Foxes won seven of their final nine league games to remain in the Premier League. In May, they overcame 5,000-to-1 odds in the 2015-16 season to win their first top-flight title.
Carli Lloyd becomes a star
On Jan. 18, 2015, Carli Lloyd had two career international hat tricks, had never won a Women's World Cup and wasn't remotely considered the best player in the world. Over the next year, she tallied four hat tricks (including one in the first 16 minutes of the Women's World Cup final), led the U.S. to its first WWC title in 16 years and was named FIFA Women's Player of the Year.
500-plus NFL players drafted
A total of 509 players were taken in the 2015 and 2016 NFL drafts. The Cleveland Browns (26) made the most picks, and the Carolina Panthers (10) made the fewest.
Droughts come to an end
The Kansas City Royals won their first World Series championship in 30 years by defeating the New York Mets in five games in 2015.
American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes in 2015, which made him the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
Virginia's baseball team became the first from an ACC school to win the College World Series since Wake Forest did so in 1955.
Players reach "500"
A number of players reached "500" milestones in the past 500 days. David Ortiz hit his 500th career home run, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi each scored their 500th career goals for club and country, and Alex Ovechkin scored his 500th career goal in the NHL.
Future Hall of Famers call it a career
Three players who will surely reach the Hall of Fame in their respective sports have retired since Jan. 18, 2015. Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson retired from the NFL, and Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA.
